INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Service Desk Manager positions are at a 11% growth rate, which is faster than average. With that said, there are currently 482,000 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 52,700 to 534,700 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Service Desk Manager jobs was $151,150 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $90,430, and the highest 10% more than $208,000.
Our conclusion? The Service Desk Manager job market is wide open for candidates.
Top service desk manager sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
Things to remember when writing your service desk manager experience section
Service desk manager experience section checklist:
- Keep it short: use no more than 4-6 bullet points per position;
- Go for short, easy-to-read sentences to keep recruiters engaged;
- Focus on relevant job experience that will enhance your application;
- Describe your experience using the C-A-R (challenge, action, result) methodology;
- Ditch buzzwords and go for power words instead.
To illustrate it more clearly, we’ve collected some of the best experience section examples from real Service Desk Manager resumes. Check them out below!
- Leading a Global Service Desk team of 15 people located Sweden, Germany, Poland, China and US
- Forming and managing an Onsite Services (Local IT) virtual team of +50 indirect reports operating in +100 locations of DeLaval
- Transition, Program and Project management to initiate and lead internal improvements in order to meet strategic goals
- Optimizing the delivering processes within the team, improving quality, efficiency by setting short, mid and long-term goals
- Setting salary and budget routines and ongoing cost control, managing budget with regular cost follow-up
- Supervision of the team and Service Desk activities.
- Management of working practicesand processes to support the Service Desk.
- Monitoring and evaluation of KPIs indicators, defining activities to maintain objectives.
- Supervision of the team activities.
- Personnel Management (performances, absences, vacation planning).
- Coordination of external vendors and contractors.
- Support for EMEA and global sites.
- Business implementation through the Service Now platform and the ITIL framework.
- Definition of periodic reports on the KPIs status, on volume of processed tickets, and on management time.
- Elaboration of documents about the customer's network architecture.
- Management of 24 Hour Helpdesk
- Manage Service Level Agreements
- Customer Liaison
- Introduced new structure and working meathodology that directly improved morale and productivity.
- Improved First Time Fix rate to over 85% by implementing a Knowledge database.
- Introduced a software deployment tool reducing calls by 32%.
- Re-organized help desk staff workflow management system and coordinated staff/schedules
- Implemented productivity and service improvement plans
- Coordinated vendor purchasing and installation for A/V upgrades
- Managing a team of over 12 administrative & technical support staff
- Strengthening the IT infrastructure through to implementing new technologies. Performing routine audits of systems & software
- Manage the IT budgets and expenditure on hardware and software
- Developing & maintaining the company IT systems, Software and databases
- Recommending and implementing improvements and efficiencies
- Reporting to the IT director & chief executive
- Having excellent time management, confidentiality & communication skills. Having strong IT, Commercial, Planning & Budgeting skills
- Management of server software and associated backup routines
- Evaluate, test, advise, train & support IT related projects
- Procurement of IT hardware, software and maintenance products and services
- Responsible for the recruitment and training of new staff
- Writing documentation for IT procedures, security and disaster recovery
- Maintaining documentation of changes regarding users, functions & systems
- Managing the internal & hosted network infrastructure including servers, switches and telephony
- Travelling to client sites to help with installs, deployment and troubleshooting. Managing of the daily data backup&retrieval scheme
- Installing and operating Windows desktop and server operating systems. TCP/IP networking and hardware maintenance and repair
- Assistance with training of staff and compiling procedural documentation; Training new employees
- Assisting the network manager with support requests
- Ensure computer hardware is safe & complies with health and safety legislation
- Applying patches in accordance with company procedures
- Windows 2008; 2000; SBS; XP; NT; WIN '98; Administration of Network. Installation and setup of workstations and servers
- Configuring print servers; RAS - Remote Access Service
- Administrative and installation
- Modem setup and dial-up installation ; Backup administration
- Hardware & Software auditing. Exchange administration 2000; V5.5
- Microsoft Windows '98; Windows 2000; Windows XP Home; Windows XP; Vista; Professional; Windows 2003 Server Standard Edition
- Installation and troubleshooting of all the above Microsoft software and Microsoft Office products
- Anti-virus packages; MacAfee Norton, Trend
- Bakup solutions and backup recovery
- Print Audit software installation; configuration and troubleshooting
- ADSL; Access Points and routers; configurations and troubleshooting
- Wireless configurations and installations on the following products
- Network cabling and installations; Server administration
- Cabletron routers maintenance configuration
- Remote tools - Dameware - Tight VNC - Team Viewr - MS Teams
- Lead mentoring, development and management of eight IT Support Analysts ensuring they're capable of performing on accountabilities that enable business outcomes and deliver on quality.
- Lead the assessment of team's capabilities on an ongoing basis to determine learning and skill requirements including identifying and coordinating appropriate training.
- Primary contact with office leadership for projects and continual service improvement.
- Global 24/7 responder for business impacting P1/P2 incidents.
PRO TIP
Show off real numbers that display your accomplishments in past roles. Instead of listing out your responsibilities as Service Desk Manager, talk about the measurable impact you made to their business. Did you boost their revenue? Increase customer retention? Mention your proudest points on your resume.
Action verbs for your service desk manager resume
Recommended reads:
The Best Way to Write Your Service Desk Manager Resume’s Skills Section
Service Desk Manager resume: Skills section checklist
- Scan the job advert for keywords worth including in your resume;
- List both hard and transferable skills;
- Leave room for discussion: include some of your skills in other sections of your resume;
- Focus on skills that prove your expertise and leave the irrelevant ones behind.
Top skills for your service desk manager resume
Python
Java
Javascript
SQL
GIT
HTML
MySQL
CSS
Jira
C++
Communication
Organisation
Analytical thinking
Creativity and innovation
Accountability
Flexibility
Eager to learn
Perseverance
Problem solving
resourcefulness
PRO TIP
When describing your experience, don’t go too far from its terminology. Recruiters use ATS systems to filter resumes based on them having certain keywords, so make sure you use at least a few keywords mentioned in the job description.
Service desk manager resume header: Tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your service desk manager resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Service Desk Manager resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
Writing a strong service desk manager resume summary
Service desk manager resume summary checklist:
- Mention your position and total years of experience in the field;
- Highlight 1-2 of your top achievements;
- Go for shorter sentences and keep them to the point – don’t include anything that doesn’t support your application;
- Add 2-4 keywords present in the job description.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Read the job description carefully and understand what the hiring company is exactly looking for. After that, write your summary accordingly while highlighting your potential and ability to be the best at that job.
Recommended reads:
Adding education, courses, and certifications to your service desk manager resume
Education section tips and tricks:
- Add info about your highest degree level, incl. year of graduation, place of study, and degree subject;
- Mention some education-related awards you’ve received;
- Share a bit more about your certifications (if they are relevant);
- Entry-level applicants: Tailor your education section by including classes that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.
Top Certifications for your Service Desk Manager Resume
IT Support and Service Desk jobs -Crash Course for Beginners
Let me help you land your first job in IT. Learn about different roles, procedures, tools, and applications - Part 1
SDI SERVICE DESK MANAGER QUALIFICATION (SDM) practice exams
Pass the SD0-302 certification on the first attempt. 136 questions
SD0-302 - Service Desk Manager Qualification Practice Exams
4 Practice Exams with 230+ Unique Questions from SD0-302 - Service Desk Manager Qualification Certification Exam
Practice Test for Service Desk Manager Qualification SD0-302
Enhance Your Skills
IT Troubleshooting Skill and Process Management
Screen, Train and Develop (Troubleshooting Skills and Tools): A Manager's Guide To Building a Service Desk Team
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PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Service Desk Manager. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
The best format for your service desk manager resume
Choosing the right format for your resume might seem difficult, regardless of whether you’re a newbie or a master. In short, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The choice you make depends on your level of experience and the company you’re applying for.
The reverse-chronological resume format is great for you if you have at least 10 years of experience, no employment gaps, and are not looking for a career change. Here, you are expected to list all your previous jobs in a reverse-chronological format, starting from your most recent position and going back to the oldest one. It’s perfect for experienced individuals who are looking for a straightforward way to highlight their expertise.
The functional skills-based resume format, on the other hand, is great for recent graduates or professionals with large employment gaps. It focuses on skills and education, rather than experience. This makes it ideal for showing you’re the right fit without putting too much emphasis on your lack of (relevant) experience.
If you’re looking for something a bit more creative, go for the combination resume format. It’s a mix of the reverse-chronological and the functional skills-based formats, which makes it ideal for all types of applicants. What’s more, it’s considered modern and innovative, and isn’t this what you want your application to feel like anyway?
After choosing the right format for your Service Desk Manager resume, it’s time to perfect the layout and style.
- Go for traditional 1-inch resume margins;
- Choose a simple resume font, sized 10-12p;
- Make sure that the length of your resume matches your applicant profile: try to fit in a one-page template; two-page templateare suitable only for candidates with over 10 years of experience.
- Save your resume in PDF to avoid issues around formatting and unauthorized editing.
Looking for more ways to make your application stand out? Read this article!
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Test your draft Service Desk Manager resume by sending it out to peers and mentors in your circles. Ask them to review it as if they are hiring you for a project and implement the feedback afterwards.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company, your position, and your general desire to experiment and showcase your creative side, you might want to add some additional sections to your resume. Some examples include:
Creating a memorable service desk manager resume
You want your resume to put you in front of other candidates even when the competition is high, right? Right!
One of the easiest ways to do this is by adding a drop or two of creativity. You can choose a colorful and out-of-the-box template, or maybe even put a ‘what my typical days look like’ section at the bottom of your resume
It’s totally up to you. Just make sure to match the level of creativity to the industry, the position, and the company.
What makes a great service desk manager resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
